Not sure if anyone else feels this way. I LOVE Christmas. Love the gifts, the excitement, yummy food and all the time with family.

But this year was pretty bad. I had to PRETEND that I wasn't in pain to have a NORMAL Christmas. My 8 year old daughter wanted me to play with every gift she got. So, of course, I did this. Boy did I pay the day after! I was soo sore trying to get out of the bed.. That was a struggle in itself.

Sometimes I am mad and frustrated with this "condition". I feel it is ruining mine and my daughters life.. I don't know what to do. I am already on so much meds. I am on Morphine Sulfate XR to TRY to control the pain. But that isn't happening anymore.... I am lost and confused!

Hi JC - I've been wondering what happened to you again. Sorry your PC is still giving you problems...I'm assuming that's why you haven't been on here in a while.

I know exactly what you mean about Christmas and the kids and what-not. I got about 5 hours of sleep and then my kids got me up Christmas morning. I made it all the way through the day until about 5:00 that evening and then I crashed until the next day. I've also had a headache I've been dealing with so that has been putting me in bed alot more than normal.

I'm very thankful I have a husband that can help me with the kids. They want to open everything up and set it all up and play with it and I just couldn't do much with them the last couple of days....so that's where the husband comes in (tag- he's it!) and he was able to finish doing all of that with them. and we only had a couple of toys to put together this year! (if any of you haven't seen the crayola crayon maker...it's Awesome! LOL you can recycle all the old broken crayons and make new ones!) But I also have some very understanding and patient kids...my youngest got a bunch of ispy books and the game and we usually sit down and do those together and she is STILL waiting for me to do that with her. I am feeling better today, so I think we can finally do it!

I also understand the "pretending" to not be in pain. my brother and his family came down the other day from Seattle and I made a big Christmas dinner for everyone. by that night I was dying and I didn't want to sound whiny or trying to get attention "because Stacey is sick with fibromyalgia" so I suffered through and kept telling my brother I was okay.

btw...I know that we are all different when it comes to meds working and not working. But I tried the morphine sulfate too and it didn't do a darn thing for my pain. I really wish your doctor would just put you on Norco or something that might actually HELP you!

Yup, I have been having problems with my computer still. But I just started with another internet provider and will have my brother check it out and see how it works. So, I am sorry for the long lapse of communication. I can also tell you I have been very depressed. Not sure why, probably hormones!

Yeah, I wish I had someone to help. I know it doesn't make EVERYTHING better. But I so would have loved to lay down and relax. At 9pm, I finally told my daughter I just couldn't do it anymore. She understood, but it just doesn't seem fair to myself or my baby girl :( Well, 8 years old isn't a baby, but she is MY BABY GIRL! lol

My daughter wanted a crayon maker. She has the money now to get one, I will have to tell her I heard good things about it ;)

Yup, I try to "fake it until I make it".. I try to keep it hidden because I am SURE people get tired of hearing about how I am ALWAYS tired and HURTING... May be another reason I have been a little bit more depressed than normal.

So, the Morphine Sulfate didn't work for you? What do you take for pain right now?

I have been on the morphine sulfate since August I think.. They went from 30 mg twice a day, to 60 mg twice a day. I think I am just going to end up going back and he will up me to 90 twice a day. I asked for break thru meds and he didn't want to give it to me.. For some reason!

Hi JC - I was just happy to hear from you and that you are at least doing okay....maybe not the pain and depression part...but you know what I mean!

I take Norco and methadone. I don't think the Methadone works very good, I only notice it really working when I'm having a minimal amount of pain. and the Norco still works, but I've become very tolerant to it, so I am probably taking more than I should. Your doctor probably won't give you Norco because it's hydrocodone and if he has a problem with giving you anything for break through pain, he probably won't want to give you Norco either. Maybe you could ask to try methadone, I do know a couple people who take that and it works well for them....but they also don't have Fibro, so who knows!

Ya know, the offer to email me is still open....I keep trying to get you all to write me and nobody has (except Noca!) And if your daughter likes to color...definitely have her get the crayon maker! I think that was probably the best gift we got the girls this year! LOL Stacey :o)

JC - I love Christmas too and for all the same reasons as you. As for your pain meds, you can try other opioids such as Opana ER(Oxymorphone) for long acting relief. It is much stronger than simple Morphine. Or you can try Fentanyl patches which is what I take. They are great! for pain relief, even gave me about 4 weeks total of pain FREE days so far this year so. There are just many more options out there than just Morphine, ask your doctor about the ones I suggested.

I was playing with my 5 yr old nephew during Christmas morning and by the end of the 13 hour day I was just completely exhausted and hurt everywhere. I over exerted myself again.

Hi, I live in the UK and this is my first posting. I was diagnosed with this 'condition' around 2 months ago. It has been hard and looks like I am going to lose my job. Christmas has been very hard this year, I too enjoy the Christmas build up, tree, presents etc, but this year I couldn't have cared less. Three days of entertaining 25th thru 27th and I thought I was dead on my feet. I take Pregabalin 600mg a day. They don't do a thing.

I am constantly tired, pain in legs, feet but most of all in my hips and lower back area. Sleeping is a joke, finding it hard to communicate with others. I am going to need some sort of walking aid as I cannot get from a to b without holding someones arm. Waiting for an appointment at the Pain clinic at my local hospital. This could be a 3 month wait.

Enough of my winging, my thought for the day..... there is always someone worse off than me....

Do you still have my email?
Jennifer (period, Chaffee) and it is Yahoo..
Noca, you can do the same if you would like. Hope you understand the address

Send me a message so I can get your account name as well. I so need someone to talk to that has went through this. I have a couple of CLOSE friends, and they try to understand. But since they do not have this condition, they really can't.

I am willing to really try anything. My doc wants me to try aqua therapy. And I plan on doing this after I switch insurances in Jan. I just dont want to continue going higher and higher on the pain meds so I can feel alright. BUT, I will do what I have to so that I can TRY to live a SOMEWHAT normal life!

Well, I will check my email later and I will talk to you ladies later. Today is a VERY PAINFUL day and I am just trying to make it through. I will be online later in the day. This site keeps me going, esp when I am having a REALLY bad day. My meds aren't working, and I have a 500 vic from a friend. Going to take that now in hopes to be able to work the rest of the day!

I totally understand you not wanting to keep taking stronger meds. that's where I'm at right now...I'm afraid that if I keep going up that someday nothing will work for me. But, if a regular vicodin helps you like that...then the Norco would REALLY help you. Basically Norco is the same thing as Vicodin, just twice as strong. But, the Norco is also lesser than Morphine...or something like that. So technically you wouldn't really be taking "stronger" meds....just a different type that might work better.

btw...I sent you an email just to check and see if I got your address right....write me back when and if you get it! Stacey :o)

Hi chipmonk1! Welcome to the forum! I'm not sure if I'm thinking right, but isn't Pregabalin a steroid? It sounds familiar and I keep thinking that is what it is. IF it's a form of steroids, then that is NOT what you should be taking for Fibro.
As for sleeping....if nothing else, at least try taking an OTC sleeping med until you can get in to see a doctor at the pain clinic. You can also try a natural sleeping medication....Calm's Forte and Melatonin are the names for those. You absolutely NEED to get something - anything - for sleeping. Without good sleep you will only hurt more and have more Fibro problems.

I will check the email when I get home. Which will hopefully be soon. I am not going to be able to work all day. As I am feeling HORRIBLE.

Well, I also had the Morphine in my system when I took the Vic. And it actually didn't do anything for me. My back still feels like it is being pulled apart! My elbow hurts and I just feel like I have been run over! I know it is probably from doing too much. But I can't help it! I just want to be able to do what normal 28 year old woman can do... Is that wrong]?

Thank you for your information regarding my medicine. I have a doctors appointment on Friday 31st and hopefully we can sort out some different medication. Will let you know the outcome. If I cannot get online after the appointment, Happy New Year to you and all other sufferers of this cruel condition.